Strong lifts, rocks, and donuts, oh my!!!

Strong lifts!

For Christmas, my wife and my mom & dad helped me complete my home gym setup.  I already had the Olympic bar and weights. They got my a rack and bench.  It's perfect to get me started but if I stick with it I will eventually get up beyond what the rack will support.  But that is months and months away.

So to get me started, I am doing the 5x5 strong lifts until I get some of my strength back.  It's quick and simple, so I will be less likely to skip it.  I made it through week one feeling a little sore but otherwise great!!!  I going to really try to keep up the cross training through the year.  This will help my back a lot and give my legs some good power on the bike (especially while climbing!).

Rocks!

This fall and winter has been very frustrating because of the rain and closed trails.  However, Isle Du Bois State Park was open just before Christmas so I drove out there to get a ride in before the next round of rain.  Loop E was closed due to damage from the rain, so I couldn't get to my typical by-pass.  I ended up riding a lot of the technical rock gardens, which are quite challenging.  It's was an ass whoopin'  trying to make some of the climbs over the rocks but still fun.  I only went down once but did walk a hand full of climbs.  It was nice to get out on a trail.  Isle du Bois is one of my favorite places to ride, it's really pretty and is very challenging.

MTB - IDB, loop D kicked my ass!

Donuts

After a long week, I went out for a nice easy ride with my twin brother.  A bridge connecting a new trail system to our local hike/bike trails just opened so we decided to explore a little.   And as an added bonus at the point we were going to turn around and come back we found a little donut shop.  SCORE!!!!  It was one of those rides were you didn't worry about speed or distance.  We just rode and chatted and rode.

Oak Cliff Nature Preserve

Was able to get out on the MTB for the first time since I rode with Doug in Dayton, OH.  Oak Cliff Nature Preserve is typically a pretty fast and flowing trail with some punching climbs and some minor technical elements.  It was nice getting out on the bike even though the trail was like a slip and slide.  The roots and rocks on the trail were slick as glass and the dirt was super tacky.  Just rolling took quite a bit of effort.  Climbing was a nightmare, as soon as you stood up to try to power up a hill, your rear will would spin and you were walking.

Parker and I ended up wiping out pretty hard at different places.  I caught a tree with my rear while as I was coming off a small drop.  I stopped my bike temporarily but I kept moving forwards.  Once all my weight was over the front wheel the bike broke loose and I ass dirt.  My left shoulder and elbow are pretty sore and aching but over all I don't think I'm hurt.  Then at a creek crossing Parker stuck his front wheel in some mud and went down hard.  His bike slammed down and bend the sear rails.  He got to ride back on a tilted seat and some pretty bruised quads and knee.  After those falls we decided to head back to the trail head and call it a day.  No sense in getting someone hurt.  We got an hour+ ride in.  So we packed up and went of to grab some lunch.

Since there were only a few trails open OCNP was packed.  We had to park on the street.

Taking a picture break.

Lots of signs.

People put all kinds of signs up in this section. 

WTF Bike

I kind of knew there was an issue but didn't realize the extent of it until I got out on my bike this afternoon.

I haven't ridden much in the last month but the rides I have done have left me tired and out of breath.  At first, I though that I might be the problem.  That I might have lost some cardio or actually put on some weight but quickly dismissed that as crazy talk.  There is no way I am the actual problem.

It's my fucking bike.

My bike is getting fat and is making all my rides harder than they should be.  Thanks to my bike's lack of self control, I was almost passed by two roadies this evening.  I was eventually able to drop them on a short climb.  They were crushed by their defeat, gave up, and turned.  I am sure they turned out of shame and not because they were actually going a different direction than me.

So as of now my bike is on a strict diet.  No more sneaking into the kitchen for ice cream.  BAD BIKE, VERY BAD BIKE!!!